I really don't know which one is rarer yet. This is like a deja vous of the 1995's. When I bought my sheets of SM and LD 1995's, I did not think one was rarer than the other. All I wanted to do was to make sure I had both from a collector's point of view. Both of my 1995's came from Xu.

With the 1996's the round shoulder was purchased from Xu while the other from a US dealer. I did not even expect for them to be different, I just wanted two sheets of ten, it just happened that I got both varieties.

Xu seems to have both for sale right now just like he used to have both of the 1995's earlier this year.If you can just get one of each then at least you know you will have a 100% chance of holding the rarer of the two.

Xu Hong uses the same stock photos but on page 4 of this topic there's a good pic with the difference such as the LS, SD, Big shoulders, and Round Shoulders etc..etc...

Thats very true, Xu uses stock photo so you're really not guaranteed to receive the exact coin shown. Xu himself probably does not know there is a difference. He does have two different prices for each item but it seems he made it $10 cheaper because of toning not because of the variety.

Thats very true, Xu uses stock photo so you're really not guaranteed to receive the exact coin shown. Xu himself probably does not know there is a difference. He does have two different prices for each item but it seems he made it $10 cheaper because of toning not because of the variety.

exchange

Exchange, thank you for posting the pics on the 1996 pandas. I have a rounded shoulder 1996 panda. I immediately looked at it when I saw the posts about it.

I agree that Xu may not know the difference in the varieties for the 1996 1/2 oz pandas at this time. I remember him selling the 1995 LD and SD at almost the same price. That may have been when Exchange bought them. Once it became know that the SD was more scarce, that's the time when Xu raised the price to over $100 for one coin but it still sold before I had the chance to buy it.

Here is a picture of both of my 1996 sheets of ten Shenyang and Shenzhen 1/2 ounce silver pandas. There may very well be a difference in variety but I do not keep them with me. I also keep records of everything I have. The pictures are high resolutions, maybe a member may notice something.

exchange

If you upload those photos to Coin Compendium, we can annotate the differences we find. I don't see a type for the 1996 1/2 oz silver panda entered yet, so you can either create it, or just upload your photos under the main panda type (CCT30) and we can sort it out later.

If you upload those photos to Coin Compendium, we can annotate the differences we find. I don't see a type for the 1996 1/2 oz silver panda entered yet, so you can either create it, or just upload your photos under the main panda type (CCT30) and we can sort it out later.

Exchange, thank you for posting the pics on the 1996 pandas. I have a rounded shoulder 1996 panda. I immediately looked at it when I saw the posts about it.

I agree that Xu may not know the difference in the varieties for the 1996 1/2 oz pandas at this time. I remember him selling the 1995 LD and SD at almost the same price. That may have been when Exchange bought them. Once it became know that the SD was more scarce, that's the time when Xu raised the price to over $100 for one coin but it still sold before I had the chance to buy it.